


We'll change the pace (we'll just go slow)

by gunboots



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Missing Scene, all the Teppei feels, spoilers for later chapters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-21
Updated: 2012-08-21
Packaged: 2017-11-12 15:08:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/492556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gunboots/pseuds/gunboots
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They both don’t talk about all the unsaid, if there are complications Teppei may mess up his knee permanently, never mind being able to play basketball again, how there’s no guarantee in the treatment, all the ugly unknowns of therapy and the risk of skipping surgery. Even the simple fact that a few hours earlier, they were all on the court together, ready to take on the world, and now Kiyoshi’s going to be out of school for a year, and even when he returns, he’ll only have one year to play basketball with them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We'll change the pace (we'll just go slow)

**Author's Note:**

> This is my half of a fic/art trade with kamachiono done for tumblr, she asked for a prompt of Hyuuga comforting Kiyoshi after he'd initially injured his leg in that first match against Hanamiya. Many thanks to Binnin for a quick technical beta and whipping my grammar into shape. Any further errors are mine and mine alone.

Hyuuga’s not blind to the forced effort Teppei is putting up as he once again assures Riko he’ll be fine. He’s already dismissed the rest of the team, smiled and laughed about the injury as if it was nothing. Kiyoshi is naturally charming, calming in his eccentricities, but Hyuuga can see the strain in his actions. He laughs off the fact he’ll be in the hospital instead of at school with them, tells everyone it’s ok because he can just focus on taking it easy. Calls it a vacation.

Riko’s on the verge of tears still, has been since she’s forced his prognosis from him, and Hyuuga _KNOWS_ Teppei hates it; can barely stand to see her upset. He’s smiling at her, trying to calm her down with another laugh.

“Riko, please. I’ll be fine, just go home and rest.” It’s technically past visiting hours. Teppei had to beg the nurse to let them stay just a little longer; had done with a smile and a laugh. And for a minute, Hyuuga had been able to look past the hospital gown, the bleached clean walls of the hospital, and think about how under any other circumstance they’d be celebrating with a victory dinner right now. Riko looks unconvinced, wipes her eyes and hates how upset she is, hates the whole situation with the same passion Hyuuga does. 

She glances over at him, and Hyuuga returns her gaze.

“Take care of him, make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid,” she finally says after a moment, putting as much defiance into her gaze as she can. “I’ll see if my dad can do something ok?” 

“I’ll be alright, I have good doctors here already,” Teppei assures, letting her pull him into a hug. “Just bring me a slice of cake next time you visit.”

Riko lets out a surprised laugh, holds onto him tightly, and if the laugh sounds wet and like a sob, Hyuuga and Kiyoshi don’t say anything.

“Focus on getting better. I’ll see if you’re allowed it.” Riko finally lets him go, glaring at him through her tears.

“I’m not dying, Riko,” Teppei says. It comes out more fond than exasperated, and Riko looks like she desperately wants to say something but decides against it. Hyuuga doesn’t rise from where he’s sitting next to Kiyoshi’s bed, and instead they exchange nods before she turns on her heel and departs, the sound of her footsteps echoing down the hallway.

Teppei keeps his gaze locked onto his hands, which are gripped tight on the bedspread. He doesn’t say anything until Riko’s footsteps fade away. 

There’s a beat of silence, the sounds of the hospital filling the room. Hyuuga doesn’t look away from Teppei, the sheer magnitude of Kiyoshi’s accident taking their toll, numbing guilt that’s like a thick pressure against his skull. Replaying the scene in his mind, the sound of bones cracking and Kiyoshi clutching his leg; how time seemed to slow down at the scene of Kiyoshi screaming, lying on the court. The look of panic on Riko’s face, how all he could focus on was punching that smug smirk off of Hanamiya’s face for hurting him, the grip of Izuki’s hand on his shoulder, sharp and painful to stop him from throwing the game if only to be able to hurt him like he’d hurt Kiyoshi.

_“I’m sorry.”_

Hyuuga’s snapped out of his thoughts by the sheer amount of emotion in Teppei’s voice. It takes him a few minutes to realize that he’s crying, and Hyuuga freezes instinctively because he’s never seen Teppei so overcome with emotion before. 

“What the hell are _YOU_ apologizing for? You’re the reason none of us got hurt.” Hyuuga goes with anger since it’s the easiest emotion he’s feeling. He’s been nothing but angry since the game ended. “If anything, this is all my fault. I failed you as a captain—”

Teppei’s the best player they have, they all know it, and the damage to his knee ended any chance he could ever have for a future in basketball, and because of one game—

“How can I protect the team like this?” Even as upset as he is, Teppei’s voice doesn’t raise, just sounds so tired, and rational. Hyuuga hates it instantly, and it’s just another reason he wants to find Hanamiya and punch him. Hard. 

“I already told you, didn’t I? We’re going to _WAIT_ for you,” Hyuuga says, surprisingly himself with the amount of force he puts in the statement. He’s rising out of the chair before he even realizes it. “We’re going to be number _ONE_ in Japan.”

They both don’t talk about all the unsaid, if there are complications Teppei may mess up his knee permanently, never mind being able to play basketball again, how there’s no guarantee in the treatment, all the ugly unknowns of therapy and the risk of skipping surgery. Even the simple fact that a few hours earlier, they were all on the court together, ready to take on the world, and now Kiyoshi’s going to be out of school for a year, and even when he returns, he’ll only have one year to play basketball with them. 

They don’t talk about the unsaid, but Hyuuga can see it in the line of Teppei’s shoulders and the way he’s still holding onto the sheets; that for once in all the time Hyuuga’s known him, Teppei actually looks lost, unsure of himself and his abilities.

Hyuuga can’t even fathom the amount of pain he must be going through. Instead, he just feels the anger leave him as simply as a breath of air, and he sinks back down. Kiyoshi doesn’t say anything, doesn’t even startle when Hyuuga grabs his right hand, disentangles it from the hospital sheets and laces their fingers together. 

_“Junpei.”_

Hyuuga’s always loved hearing Teppei say his name, he’s never told anyone, least of all Kiyoshi himself, but he just presses the worn hands, fingers rough with calluses from constant drills and practice, to his lips, lowers them and presses another kiss to his lips. Teppei’s lips are soft, surprisingly soft for a guy. He always tastes like something sweet and minty, for reasons that Hyuuga’s never been able to figure out. It’s nothing like the kisses they’ve shared during practice, stolen ones in the locker room when everyone’s supposedly left, it’s more a brush of their lips than anything, but it’s all that Hyuuga can give now. 

“I’m not going anywhere, and I won’t be able to come every day, but I won’t _EVER_ abandon you.” It’s so much more than a simple promise, something deep and binding, a heavy pressure in his chest. Hyuuga squeezes his hand lightly. They’re still learning about each other, still have so much they’ll have to adjust to now that Kiyoshi’s not going to be there, but he needs him to know that he’s there, right now, that the only reason he’s there unharmed is because Kiyoshi protected him. Protected all of them. “Why can’t you just realize that, idiot?” 

And maybe everything’s too much for Hyuuga and he’s crying because his vision’s getting blurry and his glasses are riddled with water droplets. He doesn’t move to fix his glasses, doesn’t wipe at his eyes. Instead he leans against Kiyoshi, making sure to avoid hitting any wires or tubes, just enough so that Teppei can feel his warmth through the hospital smock.

Teppei laughs and it sounds less forced this time. Leaning back against him, Hyuuga can feel him tighten his grip around his hand. Teppei rests his head on Hyuuga’s shoulder and Hyuuga says nothing of the fact that Teppei’s crying, that he’s crying harder now, doesn’t say anything at all. Just offers himself in the most basic way he knows how.

**Author's Note:**

> I've actually got like three Kurobasu fics in the works, but this is the one I was able to finish first. It's been a LONG time since I've written for an anime/manga fandom/anything that isn't super hero/wwii-related so please bear with me. Comments and criticism are always appreciated.


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